ListNook

EDIT: To everyone who said or wants to say that my criticism stems from a lack of attention span or an obsession with short videos, I have two words for you: DEVOUR FECULENCE. :) \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Let me first list out the things I liked about this show. It's actually a good show, not bad at all. But from my POV, it's a 7/10 show. The concept is unique and great; no doubt about it. The satire on capitalism is portrayed really well in a way that hits you and makes you angry and frustrated. The occasional dry humor is well-executed. And... okay, that's all I can think of right now. But the show is too slow! And no, it's not the kind of slow that you find soothing and peaceful. It's slow without a real reason. You just need the first one or two episodes to understand the basic plot. The concept of severance is unique, but not too complex to understand, and I know that's not even the point of the show. But the show practically STRETCHES on and on without giving any new things to hold on to. The pull is there, mostly because you don't know what the company does or what the numbers are or what's really happening in the backend of LUMON. But what you get after watching all the episodes is what I found really underwhelming. S1 did really get interesting by the eighth episode, and it got really better by the last one. And that's what made me go for the second season. I thought they were keeping the best parts for the end, and things are going to get interesting with S2. But S2 again starts slow! You get no answers, no resolutions to all the questions that have been building up since S1. You just get more questions. The only answer you get is that "those 25 files are the 25 lives Gemma has been living." As in S1, only the last two episodes, mostly the last, actually took the plot considerably forward. It's OKAY for S1 to not give answers. But I expected a fair deal from S2, at least. I don't get why people were calling it mind-blowing and mind-bending and amazing. It's just a decent show. TL;DR: I think Severance demands way more attention and offers too little in return. PS: It could have worked much better as a movie.

64 Comments

PotentBike Apr 14, 2026 +18

TikTok generation

BenjaminLight Apr 14, 2026 -6

Let’s examine the reflexive “TikTok generation” response from midwits whenever anyone doesn’t buy in on some overhyped pretentious bore of a show (see also: Pluribus). Could it be that you’re overrating a show without a lot of real substance because *you* have TikTok brain, and confuse slow pacing with dramatic heft?

-6

PotentBike Apr 14, 2026 +1

Severance is not slow paced lol

BenjaminLight Apr 14, 2026 -1

The entire second season, the story was running in place. You’re not built for these discussions, bro. Go back to watching wrestling.

-1

PotentBike Apr 14, 2026

you are correct that I am unable to dumb myself down to your level to continue the discussion, bro. enjoy those YouTube shorts, I hear there's a lot of narrative structure that you may be able to follow over there, bro!

It’s funny because you don’t realize you’re the dumb one.

sure thing, bro! you're just not built for these discussions big dog!

Explorer_111 Apr 14, 2026 -9

Love your comment haha

-9

Explorer_111 Apr 14, 2026 -18

Hahaha too bad I have never used the app even once.

-18

ThisIsTheNewSleeve Apr 14, 2026 +2

You don't have to have used tiktok to feel its influence. And it was a trend before tiktok too. Short form media is on the rise, from TikTok, to Facebook, to instagram reels, youtube shorts, etc. Also Netflix basically has a mandate to create shows specifically for people with short attention spans. When people say "Tiktok generation" and similar terms its a catch-all for this phenomenon.

Explorer_111 Apr 14, 2026 -1

Thanks, but I had understood the sentiment. And I still see no sense in labeling people as "titkok generation" when they don't find a show engaging enough.

ThisIsTheNewSleeve Apr 14, 2026 +1

It's just a bigger trend we're starting to see. I've seen so many posts lately where essentially the entirety of the feedback, especially for older media, is "Too slow." We need to find a way to bring back attention span in people... because there's a whole wealth of media out there that has value that won't be absorbed because people can't focus on a story for long enough to absorb it

tomun Apr 14, 2026 +5

I liked season one, but I got the impression that were never going to get answers to the questions it raised, so I left it there.

Explorer_111 Apr 15, 2026

S1 actually hyped me a little. But they didn't justify the hype in S2.

ElasticPlatypus Apr 14, 2026 +15

Depending on your television, your remote should have a button with a curving arrow pointing to the left. This should take you out of Severance and then you can choose something else to watch. Hope this helps :)

Explorer_111 Apr 14, 2026 +3

Man!! I wish you gave this suggestion WHILE I was watching the show. Hope the next time you read the post properly before giving suggestions. :)

ElasticPlatypus Apr 14, 2026 +3

An excellent way to prove how calm and chill you are is to respond to every single comment in a thread that doesn’t 100% agree with you. Doesn’t make you look unhinged at all

Explorer_111 Apr 14, 2026 +2

Thank you :))

Quirky-Tumbleweed155 Apr 14, 2026

You can swipe up for your next dopamine hit lol Severance is a bad ass show that takes time to build up. The psychological affect of what a job like that would do to someone needs a little story to express what's happening. The mystery is what intrigues to keep watching.

And you can swipe up to the next Listnook post ig. I just didn't find the mystery much engaging. That's it. 🤷‍♂️

Quirky-Tumbleweed155 Apr 14, 2026 +1

Ever watch Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind?

On my list. Maybe next week.

Penguinsteve Apr 14, 2026 +28

Attention spans are dead. OP needs boom boom boom plot points firing off, synapses engaged 24/7. Pacing is ruined forever.

Negative_Baker_2141 Apr 14, 2026 +8

Or OP just has different taste? Not every slow-burn works for everyone. There’s a line between “deliberate pacing” and “nothing’s happening,” and Severance tiptoes it.

Explorer_111 Apr 14, 2026 -4

Frrrr. I need my senses and synapses engaged even 24/7. You really get me bro.

-4

beachedwolf Apr 14, 2026 -7

Nah homie is right. My favorite show this year was Pluribus and nothing is slower than that but they SHOW the characters doing stuff that seems pointless but always has a points Severance is pointlessly slow and boring

-7

Infamous-Lab-8136 Apr 14, 2026 +2

How do you actually know what has or hasn't had a point on either show yet? Vince has already admitted the nuke, for instance, doesn't even have a use in mind yet and was added at an exec's suggestion originally. So how can you say it has a point when the writer himself admits he doesn't know what its point is? Both of these are shows that will require a full body to judge IMO

teffarf Apr 14, 2026 -2

The nuke is a test (and narratively a callback) of their (the plurbs) previous statement that they would give her one if asked to, it doesn't really need to be anything else. Now he might decide to use it later on, but as it stands it already fulfilled its purpose.

-2

beachedwolf Apr 14, 2026 -2

Disingenuously use the very last line is the season as your rebuttal shows you have nothing specially when it comes to defending the slow and boring severance

SpitefulCrow Apr 15, 2026

Tbh earn my attention or I'm not giving it. Life's too short to waste on boring and derivative shows.

LostInLittleroot Apr 14, 2026 +7

Netflix was right there is an attention span issue with viewers

Netflix reminds me, I heard some people compare Severance with DARK. That's why I watched the former. Worst comparison ever.

ThisIsTheNewSleeve Apr 14, 2026 +4

They are very different shows. Whoever tried to connect those two shows was way off.

Vegetable_Cookie_267 Apr 14, 2026 +2

I might be the only person in this comment section to agree with you. I also was recommended severance after absolutely loving DARK. Both series opens you up with so many questions but DARK pays them off way better, most questions get answered by the finale of the same season, and if not, they get answered in the next one. Severance still has a long way to go and maybe there will be a payoff after like 10 more years of the show. Both shows require an attention span, but in severance, there are dozens of moments with no conversations or almost nothing happening that feel so lengthened and the soundtracks depress me. Also, dark has a much larger cast and characters that are more interesting. It's definitely not a show for us lol.

Explorer_111 Apr 14, 2026 +1

Oh god, I LOVE DARK. One of the best things I have ever watched. That's part of why my expectations were high from this show. I know these two are VERY different so shouldn't be compared. But in terms of how they made me feel and kept me engaged, Severance comes nowhere close to Dark. I can go on and on about Dark yet never get bored. But Severance? Nah. And Dark's soundtrack!! Those are AWESOME. No comparison. You are right. No longer expecting much from Severance, but I am maybe gonna watch the next season to give it one last shot.

OkayAtBowling Apr 14, 2026 +2

I *loved* Season 1, and it's easily one of the best first-season finale episodes I've ever seen. Season 2 wasn't quite as good, but I still liked it a lot. I don't think your criticisms are totally unfounded. I wasn't bothered by the show's pacing, though I do think it gets a bit uneven in Season 2. And I also worry that it's one of those shows where the more they build out the world, the shakier its foundations start to get. I started feeling a bit of that in Season 2 as the scope expanded a bit. I'm still excited for Season 3, though. I don't agree it would have been better as a movie though, I think it benefits a lot from getting to live with these characters for an extended period of time.

Explorer_111 Apr 15, 2026 +2

I won't use "love" for any of the seasons, but I liked both of them. S2 was disappointing because it reached a point where it felt that the show was trying a bit too much to be mysterious. Even if the mystery turns out to be worthwhile, it’s just NOT fair to reveal absolutely nothing. Reading all these comments, I agree with most of the things people like about this show. My primary complaint is simply that they didn't really reveal anything after two seasons. I get the double-character arcs, the little details, the individual motives of the various characters, and ALL the good things. But in the beginning of S1, I had no idea what Lumon is really doing. And in the end of S2, I still have no idea what Lumon is really doing. Going through the 19 episodes without getting anything substantial in return was underwhelming.

OkayAtBowling Apr 15, 2026 +2

I think a lot of it may just be expectations. For me, I wasn't ever expecting the show to reveal much more than it did over the course of these two seasons, so that aspect of the show didn't really bother me at all. I felt like they (generally) did a good job of drip feeding answers, or at least hinting at answers, even if that mostly just led to new questions. Also, without getting into details, I definitely think we have at least *some* idea of what Lumon is up to, or at least what sorts of goals they are working towards. I think part of it is also just that I really love shows that are atmospheric and mysterious, so in a way I'm fine with a show not revealing answers as long as it's able to keep me interested in what's going on and invested in the characters, which for me, Severance has done.

longjohnsus Apr 14, 2026 +1

I think you’re right and I think it stems from the same reason why a lot of shows start to suck a little: There’s not enough material to fill the amount of episodes/seasons. Realistically the story of severance is a horror story that could be told via a miniseries or as a literary short story. The shit is terrifying. Reminds me a lot of the I AM short story. And realistically you don’t need much in the way of time to tell that story. We already know from the get go that what’s happening is messed up; that means the only real tension is will they get out of it. Will they escape. And you don’t need long to resolve that tension.

Exactly! Finally someone who shares the exact same sentiment.

JonKongWhatsHisFace Apr 14, 2026 +3

I totally agree with everything you said. It was pretty good. 7/10. Nice to watch a show that didn't reveal everything right away. But LOST is still the best, and way better. I wish there was more shows like lost.

DARK

JonKongWhatsHisFace Apr 14, 2026 +2

On my list! Heard great things. Thanks for reminding me.

Maybe I should watch Lost then

pic2022 Apr 14, 2026 +2

Season 1 was great. Season 2 was just f****** stupid and just did the Westworld thing.

TheSovereign2181 Apr 14, 2026 +4

Yeah, Season 1 was amazing. Season 2 felt like "Listnook, The TV Show". Written while thinking about a specific portion of the audience. Westworld suffered from the same problem, it got too up its own ass.

Haven't watched Westworld but yeah I was expecting more from S2.

pic2022 Apr 14, 2026 +1

I recommend you watch Season 1 of Westworld and stop there. It's downright amazing. I'm going to continue watching Severance. Maybe give it one more season, but I stand by the fact that season 2 was just utter shit and ended the worst f****** way possible.

Thanks for the rec. On that note, the only show that paid off really well across seasons for me was DARK. I am also gonna give Severance another season. One last chance. From the way the show progresses, I think there are multiple seasons to come haha.

godver3 Apr 14, 2026 +1

It was a good show but agree that with S2 being a bit of a reset it really didn't feel like the plot progressed too much. I think the biggest frustration is S1 coming in 2022, S2 coming in 2025 with S3 not even starting filming yet. Things like that make it really feel like Lost where the showrunners are perhaps very good at asking questions, but not as good at answering them (I know Lost eventually had answers although I don't think they were considered entirely satisfying).

Explorer_111 Apr 14, 2026

Oh yes it WAS a good show, just not as good as I was expecting it to be. And I get you. I would likely have been more disappointed had I waited for it for three years. (Haven’t watched Lost.)

This is about the 20th post this week on r/television and r/movies complains something is too slow. Man, tiktok and youtube shorts are really doing a number on the populace. A world feels complete when you give viewers a chance to live in that world a bit. If you rush through it to get to the end, sure it'll go by faster but it won't make as much of an impact. The world won't feel "lived in". If one of the themes of the show is corporate monotony, well, then you have to make the viewer feel that. You can't communicate that with a snappy montage. A big part of the show is the psychology of these characters, both innie and outie. If you want to get any sense of who these people are you need to spend time with them. Not every show is a fast paced action and IMO there's plenty in Severance to keep you stimulated.

yellowelevator815 Apr 14, 2026 +2

I really liked seeing the parallels between innies and outies. you essentially have double the cast (of Lumon workers) to work with, and they all have different personalities/persuasions/tendencies. It was a lot of fun to see a different side of Dylan, Irvin, Mark, etc. And I disagree with most that S2 was worse. S2 took things to the next level and expanded the world 10 times further. The whole ORTBO episode and its shocking ending... it just expanded things to such an insane level.

Yeah I liked season 2 as well. I like how weird it got. The scene with "Sirius" by Alan Parsons Project is one of my favourites in recent memory.

Mark completing the file really felt like an earned climax to the story. We saw it develop for an entire season so when he finally sat down and 'finished', you just can't help but tense up for whats coming next. There was no way to even expect what could happen after that point. And yes, weird is good.

And it's prolly the fifth comment on this post alone that connected my post with tiktok and short videos in general. Love the irony of your comment. Tiktok and short videos are really doing something to people's opinions, I agree lol. Quite agree with the rest of your comment. Just don't agree with the last sentence.

GooInc Apr 14, 2026 +1

Liked season 1 a lot, was really disappointed with the second. Flew off the rails and gave too much away to the point I’ve lost a lot of interest in season 3

Gilwork45 Apr 14, 2026

Its a fake smart person's idea of a smart tv show. Still watchable tho.

Explorer_111 Apr 14, 2026 +4

Yeah it definitely was watchable for me, too. That's why I finished it. But not at all mind-blowing or any similar synonyms for me.

NoradianCrum Apr 14, 2026 +1

Cool.

firedog7881 Apr 14, 2026

It is a good show that makes you think. It was a new concept with a good supporting story and well execution. Is the show earth shattering? No.

Explorer_111 Apr 14, 2026 -5

Yup. It's overrated imo.

-5

dtudeski Apr 14, 2026 +2

Is it overrated just cause you don't vibe with it as much as others?

FYI, I added "imo" in the end. And secondly, I gave my reasons in the post.

I didn't get the hype around Severance.

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64 Comments